Radio questioner amusement apparatus



May 4 1926. 1,582,937

, A. A. SILVERMAN' ET AL RADIO QUESTIONER AMUSEMENT KPPABATUS FiledApril 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1" Jan 9152' Zvermen fi ATTORNEY WITNESS:

May 4,1926. v 1,582,937 I I A. A. SILVERMAN ET AL RADIO QUESTIONERAMUSEMENT APPARAIUS v Filed April 4, 1925 2.Sheets -Sheet 2 4'7 v AASilverware JanieJi/vermar mvumn WITNESS:

Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,582,333 PATENT OFFlCE.

ALBERT A. SILVERMAN AND DANIEL SILVERMAN, 6F ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

RADIO QUESTIONER AMUSEIYIENT APPARATUS.

Application filed April 4, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT A. Srnvnre MAN and DANIEL Srnvnmrazv,citizens of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county oftBuncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful11rprovements in Radio Questioner Amusement Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

his invention relates to amusement apparatus, particularly to questionand answer devices, and has for its object the provision or a novelapparatus constructed to resemble a radio receiving set and so arrangedthat various questions may be asked and the answers tl ereto accuratelyobtained.

An important and more specific object is the provision of an apparatusof this cha acter constructed in cabinet form and pro vided with a panelupon which are mounted dials resembling the dials employed in radioreceiving sets, one dial being so arranged as to be rotated and to pointto a selected question and the other dial being correspondinglyrotatable in order to ascertain the answer, the ob ,ining of the correctanswer being indicated by illumination of a lamp wi hin the device andthe operation of a buzzer.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which iselectrically controlled or operated, the questioning and answering dialsforming part of switches, the respective contacts or" which areconnected so that the two switches will act in effect in the same manneras the combination on a commutation lock, it being absolutely necessarythat both switches be in corresponding positions in order that thecorrect answer to a certain question will be had.

Yet another object is the provision of a device of this character inwhich the current utilized may be taken from an ordinary flashlight celleasily removably mounted in place so as to be capable of replacementwhen such is necessary for any reason.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this characterwhich will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to operate,instructive as well as amusing, positive in action, eflicient anddurable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

lVith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter Serial No.20,774.

more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section looking at the back of the front paneland showing the entire electrical system,

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the center ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the complete device,

Figure 4 is an elevation of oneof the question bearing disks,

l igure 5 is an elevation of one of the ansi T61 bearing disks,

Figures 6 and 7 are similar views or" other uislts, and

igure 8 is detail view illustrating a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I have shown the device asenclosed within a suitable cabinet 10 provided at its trout with a panel11 and so constructed and arranged as to resemble a radio receivp,liotatably mounted on the panel dials 12 and 13 having pointers 12 and12 thereon having operating knobs l l and constructed in exactly thesame manner as the dials and knobs used in radio sets, the

dials being here shown as carrying shanks 1 5 journaled through bearings16 in the rear side of the panel and equipped with springs 1? acting tohold the dials snugly to they panel for preventing wabbling while inuse. Above the dial 12 the panel is inscribed with the legend Questionsand above the dial with the legend Answers. The panel is provided with aseries of openings 18 between these two legends for a purpose to bedescribed. The lower portion of the panel may be utilized. for theinscription of advertising matter and the like and the representation ofother parts of a radio apparatus may be applied it such is desired..Vhile it is not essential the openings 18 above referred to may behushed or provided with internal ferrules 19 as shown in order toimprove the appearance.

The dial shanks carry switch arms 20 and 21 respectively movable overtwo series o1 contacts 22 and 23 respectively, the correspondingcontacts being connected by conductors 41 in manner well illustrated inFigure 1. It is immaterial which of the contacts 22 are connected withthe contacts 23 except that they should run in sequence. In the-present.instance the topmost contact or m) all) 22 is shown as connected withthe lowermost, contact 23 but this is an arbitrary arrangement. ldountedon the bottom of the cabinet a suitable supporting bracket 25 which isof metal and which constitutes a common ground for the various elementsof the mechanism, and mounted upon this bracket are upstanding contacts26 and 27, the former of which is in electrical connection therewith andthe other of which is insulated therefrom, and also mounted on thebracket is a springclip adapted to receive and hold a dry cell 29 of thetype used in flashlights. A. contact screw 30 is carried by the contact26 and is adapted to engage the central terminal 31 ot the cell.'lhreaded through the contact n'ien'iber a screw 32 designed to hearclan'ipingly against the adjacent end of the cell.

lllounted within the cabinet back of the openings 18 therein is areflector 33 formed with a socket portion Set within which is owed orotherwise held an incandescent lamp 35 01" the single contact typehaving its shell grounded on the reflector and having its contact 86engaging cont-act 37 secured upon and insulated from the reflector. Thecontact 37 has connected therewith a conductor 38 connected with thecontact 2?, and connected with the reflector 33 is a conductor 39connected with the bracket 16 sociated with the dial 12. Connected withthe bracket 16 associated with the dial 13 is a conductor 10 connectedwith the contact 26.

While it is not absolutely necessary, we prefer to provide a buzzer 41of conventional. construction mounted at some convenient location,preferably on the bracket 25 and having one of its terminals connectedwith this bracket by a conductor 42. This buzzer includes the usualviorator structure 13 with which is connected a conductor 4i connectedwith the conductor 39.

In conjunction with the dials we proviso disks -il5 and *lfi both ofwhich have open cen tral portions so as to encircle the dials 12 and 1.3respectively when placed on the front of the panel. It is intended. thatthese disks bear questions and the corresponding answers as clearlyindicated in Figures 1 and 5 and also in Figures 6 and 7, the questionsand answers being of any character desired but not really intended to beabsurd inasmuch as one of the primary purposes of the invention is toprovide an instruction device. For this reason the questions and answersare represented as being hist rical though there is no limitation inthis respect. The disks are shown as provided at their upper and loweredges with apertured edges a7 and 41-8 respectively adapted to beengaged upon hooks l9 and pins projecting from the front of the panelabove and below the dials 12 and 13. By this arrangement it is evidentthat the clisl'seo a d ie a b moved and replaced by similar disks 45 and46 which bear a dilterent series of questions and answers. It is aconvenience that both sides of each disk have questions or answersthereon in order to increase the range of changes which may be made.

In the modification shown in Figure 8 the buzzer above described isreplaced by a ratchet device including a ratchet wheel 51 carried by theshank oi the dial 13 and engaged by a spring pawl 52 so as to produce aclicking noise when the dial 13 is turned.

In the operation, the dial 12 is turned to bring; the pointer 12 thereoninto-such position that it will point to any desired one of thequestions on the disk 1-5. Obviously, when this is done, the switch arm20 will be in engagement with one of the conductors 24. The operatorthen grasps the knob of the other dial 13 and turns it. lVhen the switcharm 21 controlled by the dial 13 is in such position that the pointer 1thereon points to the proper answer on the disk 46 this switch arm 21will be in engagement with the contact 23 connected with the contact 22engaged by the switch arm 20. This obviously completes the circuitthrough the incandescent lamp 35 and also through the buzzer -11 so thata light will be displayed through the openings 18 and a sound will begiven cit by the buzzer. hen this occurs it will indicate that this isthe correct answer to the question asked.

In the modification disclosed in Figure 8 wherein the buzzer is omitted,it is obvious that whenever the dial 13 is turned the ratchet 51 coactinwith the pawl will act to give a buzzing sound. However, in this form,this sound does not mean that the corrcct answer has been reached, thisindication being given by the illumination of the incandescent lamp 355.

It will be observed that the disks 15 and 16 may be turned over so thatthe other sides thereof may be used and it is also quite clear thatthese disks may be removed and replaced by others such as thoseindicated in Figures 6 and 7 in order to provide a wide range ofquestions and answers. The peculiar manner of mounting these disks onthe front of the panel is of particular advantage inasmuch as it permitsready removal and replacement without disturbing any of the apparatus.

From the foregoing and a study of thedrawings it will be apparent thatwe have thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and very amusingdevice which will have the great advantage of being instructive in itsnature as well as entertaining. Owing to the simplicity of theconstruction it is apparent that there is very little to get out oforder so that the device should have a long and satisfactory life.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that we reserve the right to makesuch changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as willnot depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, we claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a plurality ofinterrupted circuits all connected with a common source of current andwith a common indicator, means for closing a selected circuit at one ofthe interruptions therein, means indicating which circuit has had aninterruption therein bridged, means for closing or bridging the otherinterruption in the selected circuit, and indicating means at last namedmeans. 1

2. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a panelmountedthereon, a pair of dials rotatably mounted on the panel andcarrying pointers, a pair of disks on the panel arranged in surroundingrelation to the dials, one disk carrying a series of questions and theother bearing a corresponding series of answers, an electric playresponsive indicator within the cabinet, a source of current within thecabinet, and a pair of switches operated by movement of the dials andincluding movable arms and a series of contacts corresponding to thequestions and answers respectively and connected in circuit with thesource of current and the indicator.

In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a panel mountedthereon, a pair of dials rotatably mounted on the panel and carryingpointers, a pair of disks on the panel arranged in surrounding relationto the dials, one disk bearing a series of questions and the otherbearing a corresponding series of answers, an electric play responsiveindicator within the cabinet, a source of current within the cabinet,and a pair of switches operated by movement of the dials and including amovable arm and a series of contacts corresponding to the questions andanswers, respectively, and connected in circuit with the source oicurrent and the indicator, the disks being removably mounted and havingboth sides similarly formed whereby to be capable of reversal.

In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a panel mountedthereon, a pair of dials rotatably mounted on the panel and carryingpointers, a pair of disks on the panel arranged in surrounding relationto the dials, one disk bearing a series of questions and the otherbearing a corresponding series of answers, an electric play responsiveindicator within the cabinet, a source of current within the cabinet,and a pair of switches operated by movement of the dials and including amovable arm and a series of contacts corresponding to the questions andanswers, respectively, and connected in circuit with the source ofcurrent and the indicator, and means for detachably mounting the disksin place whereby selective disks may be employed.

5. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a panel mountedthereon, a pair of dials rotatably mounted on the panel and carryingpointers, a pair of disks on the panel arranged in surrounding relationto the dials, one disk bearing a series of questions and the otherbearing a corresponding series of answers, an electric play responsiveindicator within the cabinet, a source of current within the cabinet,and a pair of switches operated by movement of the dials, and includinga movable arm and a series of contacts corresponding to the questionsand answers, respectively, and connected in circuit with the sourceout-current and the indicator, the disks being provided with aperturedlugs, and retaining elements project ing from the panel and upon whichthe apertured lugs are engaged.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures.

ALBERT A. SILVER-MAN. DANIEL SILVERMAN.

